1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake control apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a brake control apparatus which applies a brake fluid pressure to wheel cylinders that is higher than a pressure generated by a master cylinder to obtain a higher braking force on a road having a high friction coefficient.
2. Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,442 discloses a brake fluid pressure boosting apparatus which boosts a brake fluid pressure applied to motor vehicle wheel cylinders to obtain optimal braking force. In the brake fluid pressure boosting apparatus, a brake pressure boosting effect is amplified during panic braking when a driver depresses a brake pedal with maximum force. As a result, greater than normal wheel cylinder pressure is applied to the wheel cylinders, and a high braking force is realized.
The prior art apparatus, however, increases wheel cylinder pressure by amplifying the boosting effect only when a pedal-depression force increase gradient is higher than a predetermined increase gradient. No consideration is given to lessening a reaction force acting on the brake pedal before or after the amplified boosting effect. Accordingly, load with respect to a driver's pedal depression is not lessened before or after the boosting effect is increased.